DAN Barlaser speaks from experience when he says he'd rather be in Middlesbrough's position than Sheffield United's as the battle for automatic promotion from the Championship hots up.

This time last season, Barlaser's Rotherham United were streaking away at the top of League One and looked nailed on promotion certs.

But Barlaser admits the pressure of being chased took its toll and a wobble almost cost the Millers promotion, with Rotherham eventually scraping over the line on the final day of the season by just a single point.

This time last week, second-placed Sheffield United were 10 points clear of Boro, but that gap is now down to four points, and Barlaser believes the Blades will be feeling the heat.

After making his first start for Boro in Saturday's 3-1 win over QPR, he said: "I was in that situation with Rotherham last year where we had quite a big gap. The last day it came down to one point. Football can be a mysterious game. We just have to focus on one game at a time.

"But I'd rather be the chaser, put it that way. You feel the pressure (when you're being chased)."

After losing to Boro last week, Sheffield United slipped up again at Millwall in Saturday's early kick-off, but Barlaser claims he didn't even know the result at the Den until full-time at the Riverside.

"I genuinely didn't know," he said.

"I don't check results. I knew after the game, obviously. But we just concentrate on our game and the 13 games to come."

He does, however, think Sheffield United's players will now be keeping a close eye on Boro results.

He said: "I don't know, I would like to say they're not but they probably are, you can't help but check results after games so they probably are. We just have to concentrate on ourselves."

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Barlaser got the ball rolling for Boro on Saturday as Michael Carrick's side made it five successive wins in the Championship, delivering a pinpoint cross for Chuba Akpom to break the deadlock. It was Barlaser's eighth assist of the season, which took him clear at the top of the Championship charts.

He said: "The first half we didn't play as much football as we wanted, but after getting the first goal we kicked on. That's nine points in a week and we're keeping the momentum going.

"The lads have done brilliant. The gaffer and his staff are brilliant and made me feel very welcome. I've really enjoyed training and obviously got my first start, which was great."